Directing Donald Glover’s “Atlanta,” With Hiro Murai

Directing Donald Glover’s “Atlanta,” With Hiro Murai

Weekly Inspiration: Electricity

This week, Michelle’s inspiration can be found through the flip of a switch. Her passion is charged as she illuminates how electricity shapes the lens through which we see the world. She marvels at how one invention triggered a chain of events that defined our global society. Today, electricity has the power to denote societal privilege and determine the standard of living for entire nations. Michelle’s newfound curiosity and inspiration was sparked through her work with her client, Bill Nussey who masterminds The Freeing Energy Project. Michelle dips into the history behind today’s electrical empire and notes what she’s discovering about the famed rivalry between Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison in her current read Empires of Light.

Sweeping award shows and racking up critical acclaim, FX’s “Atlanta” is a masterpiece in tone. One of the masterminds behind its success is the show’s director and co-executive producer, Hiro Murai. Hiro joins Michelle to break down his role on “Atlanta” and how he came to join forces with the show’s creator Donald Glover.

“Atlanta” co-executive producer and director Hiro Murai sits on a panel with the lead actors and creators of FX’s “Atlanta.” Photo: FX

He highlights his career directing music videos and explains how his aesthetic in that genre translates to this narrative series. Hiro and Michelle chat about the uncanny ability “Atlanta” has to both capture the essence of a nuanced city, while simultaneously suspending the audience’s disbelief with surrealist storytelling. Then, Hiro hints at what we can look forward to in the second season.

Hiro Murai has worked with Donald Glover on his Childish Gambino music videos for years. Photo: Complex